Author: Markham Hislop

“Co-operative federalism” (BC government, Burnaby) vs. “paramountcy” (Canada, Alberta, Kinder Morgan) Why doesn’t Prime Minister Justin Trudeau do something concrete about stalled construction of Kinder Morgan’s 525,000 b/d Trans Mountain Expansion pipeline? This lament was heard often in Alberta over the past few weeks. The truth is, a great deal has been happening on this file, but behind the scenes as the National Energy Board has sorted out just how much authority the BC Government and the City of Burnaby have over the project. At the heart of the debate are two competing principles – co-operative federalism and federal...

The one thing missing from dispute over Kinder Morgan pipeline is solutions. Notley should be providing them, not bickering with BC Not content with banning BC wines from Alberta, Premier Rachel Notley is compounding her political miscalculation by appointing a council of eminent Albertans to advise her on how to anger British Columbians – including the roughly 50% who still support the Trans Mountain Expansion pipeline – even more. Someone needs to teach Notley how to shoot straight, her target is Justin Trudeau, not John Horgan. “In response to British Columbia’s unconstitutional attack on our energy industry and the...

Integrity of Canadian natural resources regulatory system on the line in Trans Mountain Expansion dispute – Prof. Coleman Jason Kenney and the United Conservative Party want Prime Minister Justin Trudeau use the declaratory power of the Constitution to “declare BC’s actions [impeding construction of the Trans Mountain Expansion pipeline] as being against the national interest.” Constitutional scholar Prof. James Coleman says Kenney and party appear to have misunderstood what declaratory power actually means. The UCP have created a petition urging Albertans “to tell Justin Trudeau to take action against the BC NDP’s latest obstruction to construction of the Trans...

Christina Lake oil sands site is located about 350 kilometres northeast of Edmonton Cenovus Energy says a worker employed by a third-party contracting company died Tuesday night after an incident involving a hauling truck occurred as a drilling rig was being moved at site at the company’s Christina Lake oil sands project. The accident at approximately 10:20 p.m. The name of the worker is not being released at this time, the company said in a press release. Cenovus said it “is deeply saddened” and extends its deepest sympathies to the worker’s family, friends and co-workers. Cenovus says the appropriate authorities have been notified and...

Jim Carr states unequivocally Canada’s support for Trans Mountain Expansion project, but Alberta consumed with Notley wine ban The wailing and gnashing of teeth in Alberta can be heard across the Rockies at Kinder Morgan’s Burnaby offices. “Why doesn’t Justin Trudeau stand up to BC?” is the lament from Carway to Zama. The answer, for those with ears, is that there is no need. Canada has the big stick, a constitutional principle called “paramountcy,” which as economist Andrew Leach tweeted Tuesday, is “not something the PM gets to wield like a hammer to whack provincial officials who say things...